In the popular sport of basketball, there has been an increasing demand over the past several years for basketball goals which are adjustable to several different heights. To meet this increasing demand, a variety of designs have been attempted to provide such an adjustable basketball goal. One of the more popular designs employs a deformable parallelogrammatic structure, wherein pivotally mounted parallel bars connect the basketball backboard to a rigid mounting device such as a pole. The parallel bars combine with the basketball backboard and the rigid mounting device to form a parallelogram. Because the bars are pivotally mounted, the basketball backboard can be moved to several different heights while remaining vertically disposed. When the basketball goal is at its desired height, a locking means is used to "lock" the parallelogram in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,904 discloses an example of a basketball goal system utilizing such a deformable parallelogrammatic structure (hereinafter the "'904 device"). In the '904 device, an adjustable support brace is employed to lock the parallelogram into one of a plurality of configurations. The support brace, which comprises two parallel arms, is pivotally mounted at one of its ends to the vertex of the parallelogram nearest the basketball rim. At the other end of the support brace, each parallel arm contains a longitudinal slot with a plurality of notches. Each of these notches is capable of slidably engaging a rigid post, or to bolt, which is firmly mounted to the upper support member of the parallelogrammatic structure. When the post or bolt is engaged within one of the notches, the parallelogrammatic structure is "locked" into place, thereby preventing further deformation of the parallelogram.
A downward force (such as gravity) applied to the basketball goal secures the post within the notch and prevents movement of the support brace or the parallelogram. Release of the post from the notch to allow a change in the configuration of the parallelogram is permitted when a sufficient upward force is applied at the basketball goal. When an upward force is applied to the support brace at a point near its pivoting end, the support brace pivots about its axis at the vertex of the parallelogrammatic structure such that the post becomes disengaged from the notch and disposed within the longitudinal slot. At this point, the shape of the parallelogrammatic structure may be altered to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
The support brace of the '904 device is capable of adequately securing the deformable parallelogrammatic structure of the basketball goal system in a variety of positions, but is not without certain disadvantages. One significant disadvantage of the support brace for the '904 device is the number of components comprising the brace. The support brace comprises at least three separate component pieces and spacers are needed to maintain the proper parallel positioning of the sides of the support brace. As an initial matter, the support brace is costly to manufacture. It would be a cost-saving advantage if the support brace could be made from a single component.
An additional disadvantage, also related to the number of component pieces comprising the brace, is the problem of storage of the individual component pieces before and during manufacture. Each of the separate pieces, once manufactured, must be stored separately, yet must still be in close proximity to one another as they will eventually comprise a single unit. The storage of three or more separate pieces creates problems of both time and space. It would be an advantage then, in terms of storage, if the support brace was comprised of a single component. It would be a further advantage if this single component was easily stackable.
A further disadvantage of the support brace for the '904 device is the degree of difficulty in assembly. Most adjustable basketball goal systems are sold in an unassembled form, thus requiring at-home assembly by the purchaser. Because each of the two parallel arms has both an inner facing surface as well as an outer facing surface, and a top as well as a bottom, it is easy, and not uncommon, for a purchaser to initially install the support brace arms in either a backwards or upside down manner. As anyone who has ever attempted to assemble a mechanical device with multiple parts knows, this is a very frustrating experience. It can be appreciated, then, that it would be an improvement in the art if the support brace was comprised of a single component, with a clearly defined top and bottom, such that a purchaser would be less likely to install the support brace backwards or upside down.
Still another disadvantage of the support brace for the '904 device is that the brace will either not function, or will function only with great difficulty, if the rigid post or bolt which engages a notch becomes bent. Unfortunately, any rigid post or bolt which is subjected to repeated stress may become bent. The support brace for the '904 device, with parallel arms having corresponding notches designed to engage a straight post, is not well suited to engage a bent post. Thus, if the post becomes bent, the support brace ceases to function effectively and the post must be replaced. It would be an advancement in the art, then, if the support brace was designed to function effectively even though the post or bolt becomes modestly bent, as may happen over time.
It will be appreciated, therefore, that what is needed in the art is a support brace for the adjustable support of a basketball goal system which is comprised of a single component, such that the manufacture and storage of the brace is made easier, assembly of the goal system by the purchaser is simplified, and the brace more readily accommodates a post to or bolt which has become modestly bent through repeated use.